The Chancellor vowed to 'prove wrong' the gloomy predictions about our economy

"As we move forward into 2018 I hope we will get increasing clarity about how these negotiations are going to move forward, an increasing sense that we are getting on and doing Brexit," he said.

"And as we get that sense of clarity and sense of movement I think confidence will return, certainty about the future will return, businesses will start investing, consumers will start buying big ticket consumer items again and that will help to get our economy growing again faster."

Budget 2017: Key points at a glance

CHANCELLOR Philip Hammond has delivered his second Budget as Chancellor. Here are the key points:

The Chancellor claimed it would help one MILLION Brits to get on the housing ladder, but the gloomy OBR claimed it would only help an extra 3,500 people get a home and would push up house prices by around 0.3 per cent.

Today Mr Hammond claimed that the forecasters had not taken into account his new measures to build more homes.

And he said: "Hopefully, by abolishing stamp duty, which will save the average first-time buyer about £1,700, that will be a help and an incentive to focus on getting the deposit together."